News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Sunday December 21st 2025
Peace House Community: What Price?
By MARTI MALTBY
I just came from a meeting of the Native American Unsheltered/Opioid Crisis Response group. We discussed the need for more messages encouraging people not to use drugs, rather than focusing on using drugs safely. The harm reduction approach (helping people use drugs safely to reduce the negative consequences of drug use – like death – until a drug user is ready to quit drugs altogether) has its place, but by itself it limits the opportunities someone has to free themselves from addiction. When someone decides they want to stop using drugs entirely, they need a pathway towards that goal. As with any other vice, from overeating to losing one’s temper in uncontrollable rages, reducing the problem is good, but overcoming it is better.
At the same meeting, someone mentioned the test strips that allow a drug user to check the drugs they are going to use to see if they contain fentanyl. Fentanyl is 100 times more potent than morphine and has caused untold overdose deaths over the last couple of years. I looked up the test strips online to get some background information. I was shocked by the WebMD.com article on the strips, as it drove home the point the Native American group had discussed at their meeting.… Read the rest “Peace House Community: What Price?”
February ’23 Events
Thursday Evenings at ASI
Thursdays
3 – 8 PM
American Swedish Institute
2600 Park Avenue
Free
Explore the ASI with free museum admission from 3-8pm. There will be live music on select Thursdays. https://asimn.org
Heart of the Beast Shaping Change Workshops
February 5, 19 and 26
Online or at The Avalon Theater
1500 E. Lake St
Free
Heart of the Beast’s Art Shaping Change puppetry workshops explore social justice themes through art. This year’s focus is on climate justice. Workshops are taught by local artists Ifrah Mansour and Graci Horne (virtual workshops), and Sofía Padilla and Davey Steinman of Paradox Teatro (in-person workshops).
Participation of all ages and experience levels are welcome. Kids will need an adult with them to assist for both virtual and in-person workshops. Workshops are free, but registration is required. To see a schedule and to register, go to hobt.org, or email questions to info@hobt.org.
Phillips Street Safety Improvements Open House
Tuesday February 7
6 – 8 PM
Phillips Community Center
2323 11th Ave S
Free
Meet in the Aquatics Center Dining Room to provide feedback on proposed street safety improvements for Chicago Avenue and 24th, 26th, and 28th Streets. Complimentary dinner provided.
Sad Song Sing A Long
February 9 – 14
Open Eye Theatre
506 East 24th Street
$10 – $18
Michael Sommers revisits the Open Eye stage for a solo show with a Sad Proposition.… Read the rest “February ’23 Events”
Movie Corner’s Top Ten of 2022 (And More)
By HOWARD MCQUITTER II
#1 Everything Everywhere All at Once. Fantasy/Comedy/Action/Science Fiction/Thriller. Directors: Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert.
#2 Till. African American/Biographical/Drama/History/Civil Rights. Director: Chinonye Chukwu.
#3 The Banshees of Inisherin. Drama/Period Piece. Director: Martin McDonagh.
#4 The Whale. Drama. Director: Darren Aronofsky.
#5 Elvis. Biography/Music/Drama. Director: Baz Luhrmann.
#6 Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio. Animation/Claymation/Drama/Family/Thriller. Director: Guillermo Del Toro.
#7 The Fabelmans. Semibiographical/Family/Drama/Period Piece. Director: Steven Spielberg.
#8 Nope. Science Fiction/Science Fantasy/Thriller/Drama. Director: Jordan Peele.
#9 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Science Fantasy/Action/African American. Director: Ryan Coogler.
#10 The Gravedigger’s Wife. Drama/Romance/Road. Director: Khadar Ayderus Ahmed.*
Other Notable Films:
The Crossing. Animation/Drama/Thriller/Mystery. Director: Florence Miailhe. (French with English subtitles) *
Barbarian. Horror/Drama/Mystery. Director: Zach Cregger.
Vengeance. Comedy/Mystery/Thriller. Director: B. J. Novak.
The Good Nurse. Biography/Crime/ Drama. Director: Tobias Lindholm.
Persian Lessons. Drama/WWII/Nazi Germany. Director: Vadim Perelman. (German/French/Farsi with English subtitles) *
Hinterland. Drama/WWII/Germany/Mystery/Murder. Director: Stefan Ruzowitzky. (German with English subtitles) *
Empire of Light. Romance/Race Relations/1980s/Drama/Great Britain. Director: Sam Mendes.
Medusa. Mystery/Drama/Women/Evangelical Christianity/Violence/Romance. Director: Anita Rocha da Silveira. (From Brazil, Portuguese with English subtitles) *
Smile.… Read the rest “Movie Corner’s Top Ten of 2022 (And More)”
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